HELP - advice needed about my dress!

Sounds like you've had an awful time! Can you afford to cut your losses, forfeit your deposit and walk away from it? Do you have a copy of the order form - if so, the size details should be recorded on it. They should have taken measurements in the shop too - mine did.

Finding your wedding dress, having it fitted and playing with accessories etc should be a fun and exciting experience and it doesn't sound as if that's what your supplier is giving you. Remember you will have photos of this day for the rest of your life and you don't want to look at them and wish you had chosen another dress.

PS - if you decide to cut your losses, it might be better to go with the bad size as your reason rather than falling out of love with it - you'll have more chance of recovering your deposit!

That sounds awful! If you can get your deposit back go to a different shop!

Do you have a copy of the order sheet? When i purchased mine, I had to sign a contract with all the details on, including my measurements and the dress size ordered. On the contract it had all the terms and conditions and when the balance of the monies owed was due and what I would need to do if I cancelled my order.

It's a shame you had such a bad time with them, but there is no point settling if you are unhappy.

Thanks ladies. There was a size on my order form but the shop is claiming it's the US size....probably to get away with the fact that they've ordered a size too big! It's my fault for not double checking the size before I signed off on the order form.

I could probably suck it up if it was just the deposit I would lose but the shop have now said I'm liable for the total cost because the dress has arrived, so it looks like I'm going to have to just get over it and wear the dress. It's not horrible and it certainly could be worse, I'm just not sure if it's the most amazing dress ever. Never mind!

Does it say on the order form its US size? If not stand your ground! If you order something in the UK you expect the dress size ordered to be the UK size unless stated otherwise!

I doubt they've even ordered if its come within a week - sounds as though it was ordered for someone else who has then changed their mind.

Hi!

I can't help with suggestions on what to do I'm afraid, but I can help you with your argument. US sizes come in smaller than UK ones, for example a UK 14 is a US 10. (I know this cos I get very excited I can fit in size 10 jeans haha). So their argument that the size is bigger because it's American is completely invalid!

Hope that helps in any way!!

I think this ^^^^ too.

It sounds like they just had this dress floating about because someone has changed their mind.

Really out of order.

Stand your ground! Their US/UK argument is rubbish as has been said above.

A friend of mine had the same issue as you but opposite (i.e. they ordered her a US 10 instead of a UK 10!! So when she went for her fitting it was a UK size 4!) The shop did try to get a sample dress for her to have instead from the supplier (Maggie Sottero I think) but they couldn't. So she had to find emergency help to alter it (in a different shop of course).

Does your contract say anything about you being liable once the dress is in the shop?

^^^^^ Very good point...didnt even think of that!

Surely that's the wrong way round though and ordering a US size like they say they have would make it bigger. Eg if the op wanted a size 10 and put that on the form but they ordered a US size 10 instead then that would be a UK size 14 that was delivered?

I think this is correct. They put down 10 on the form. You thought (as would be expected and fair enough) that a 10 was a UK10. They actually ordered a US10, which is the same as a UK14. So, actually what was ordered was a UK14....

I don't think this is your fault. I would say you are unhappy with the size mistake and ask for your deposit back.

Oh of course, I hadn't thought of it that way around!

It's still ridiculous though- unless you are ordering from an American shop or they explicitly told you they deal in American sizes then I think you're well within your rights to ask for your deposit back and go somewhere that doesn't confuse trans-Altantic sizings!

A US 10 is a UK size 14. So it would have been too big not too small? If they ordered what turned out to be a UK size 4 it would have been the infamous US size 0 which all the celebs strive to achieve.

Most bridal designers stock US sizes so a note to all Brides - make sure you ask what the specific measurements of the dress they are ordering are and that they are written on the order form not just the size. A good bridal shop should do this anyway as they have a list with the measurements for all the designers. It saves confusion all round.

In my personal (and professional) opinion there sounds something fishy going on here. How did the sample fit compared to how "your" dress fits? Did they shop take your measurements or did they order your gown based on how the sample fitted? Can they explain why it has only taken a week to come? What designer is the dress? Do you have one part of the body that is a larger dress size than the other (a size 12 bust for example but a size 16 hips)?

Sorry I know it sounds a lot of questions but I have a theory and your answers may help determine if im right. Dont get confused with the US/UK sizing because in the majority of wedding gowns the US size is only 1 smaller than a UK, unlike high street clothing where a US0 is a UK4. The measurements vary across designers so that's not really an accurate way to measure either and besides it would only make a couple of inches difference, not the 6-8 you are talking about. Have you had a read of their feedback from other customers to see if anybody else has had the same problems?

I fill in order forms all the time and I never fill in the US size so I think the shop are certainly at fault and I dont see why you should bear the cost of expensive alterations because they have made a mistake. You wouldnt be the first lady to fall out of love with her dress either and I think an incident like this just goes to add to the "meh" feeling!